Control
by looking for mermaids
Summary: It was always a question of control. The only thing that was left to ask was who had it.
1. Prologue

**Prologue **

**Summary: **It was always a question of control. The only thing that was left to ask was who had it.

**Rating: **M overall but this chapter is rated T for teens.

**Disclaimer: **I do not and never will own anything related or concerning Naruto. I only own Rin Nara.

**A/N: **Yeah I know I should be writing my other story 'The Calling' and 'Crash Into Me' off haitus but I couldn't resist writing this. This will be following the Naruto story line…to an extent. So technically I guess this would be an AU? Reading this I know what you guys will think just bare with me and read the whole story, please? Yes I know another OC but that's what I do :) Please review, follow, and maybe even favorite but more importantly enjoy. ShinoxOC and implied KibaxOC

* * *

_Prelude_

* * *

"For the last time _no_ Rin," My Mom scolded, looking at me angrily. She whipped her hands on her apron and pointed at the general direction of my room. "Now stop asking and go to your room and get ready for dinner."

My eyes were red and streaming with tears. _How could she be so cruel?_ Shikamaru was starting the Academy in a few weeks and my parents had refused to do the same for me.

"But-" My voice was raspy and tired from crying and the hard look from my Mom made me shut up. I hung my head in defeat and made my way up to the shared room I had with my brother. I also made a point to slam the door loud enough for my mother to hear. I knew if I wasn't already in a foul mood and already crying my eyes out she would have ran all the way to the room - kitchen utensil in hand - and spanked me.

"If you keep crying your face will stick that way," A familiar voice told me in an annoying offhanded manner. I glared at my twin from my blurring eyesight hoping he would leave it and me alone.

"Go away," I said in a small voice purposely avoiding looking at him. There was nothing I hated more than someone was calm when I wasn't. Especially then than person was nearly identical to me. While my face was a bit more rounded than his angular one our features were almost to the point of undistinguishable. My Mom always thought it was super cute and that if I wasn't born a girl we would have been identical. It didn't help she picked my wardrobe to match his making everyone think I was a boy. Before I would constantly complain about it making my Mother tsk saying I would one day grow into my _shape_ – whatever that meant – and she would no longer have any fun playing dress up with us. I have kept quiet ever since, not because that satisfied my anger but because one day she'd never do it again and that fueled my ignition to grow up.

"This is my room too, you know?" Shikamaru said a matter a factly. I hid myself under my blankets at the other end of the room and didn't reply.

Life was just so unfair.

* * *

The problem wasn't when I started running it was when I forgot when I stopped.

The first thing I heard waking up was the heartbeat monitor and I knew I had messed up my chances. My plan to prove to my parents I could take being a ninja had backfired and now I was at the hospital. The place was practically my home away from home. The walls were uncomfortably white, the only thing more uncomfortable being the bed.

I could hear my Mother's cries and my Father's reassuring words along with the soft airy snores of Shikamaru sleeping somewhere around me. Before I could pretend to be asleep my Mother was hovering over me crying how foolish I was and what she would have done if I had died before her. A gut wrenching guilt threatened to send me crying as well. The only thing worse than the guilt was the feeling I got looking at my Dad. It was a weird mixture of worry, sadness, and disappointment. With the guilt forgotten all I felt was self pity.

* * *

"_No_," I could hear my Mom whisper in a rough tone. I stood outside my parent's room silently praying to Kami my Father could convince her otherwise. "It's like you weren't even there with us when she was at the hospital!"

There was a few seconds of silence where I can only imagine what was happening when I heard my Mom sigh. My Father spoke up in a calm tone, "We will make sure she won't exert herself. If we don't put her through she'll only be more restless leading her to do more foolish things."

"But-"

"What are the chances she'll pass?" My Dad asked in a hushed tone.

The next day my Mom gave me the good news that they had signed me up for the Academy. Willing myself not to cry I gladly accepted, wanting to prove them wrong.

* * *

Since we signed up at different times Shikamaru and I were in different classes. Feeling awkward and out of place my Father managed to pull some strings for us to be in the same class but the first week was horrendous. I felt uncomfortable in the loneliness, always having Shikamaru around now having to spend time with others alone. As much as I hated him I didn't know what I'd do without him.

Unfortunately for me, that wasn't the same for him. He had already made multiple friends one of the biggest ones was a chubby kid named Chouji. Shikamaru sighed, "Don't you want to be your own person?"

_No_, I though to myself bitterly. _I want to be you._


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**: Acknowledgment

**Rating: **M overall but this chapter T for teens

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything of Naruto except for a few merchandise that I bought. I don't make money of off Naruto and I don't make money of off this. I own absolutely nothing except for Rin Nara and a few other OCs. Basically anyone who don't recognize is an OC.

**A/N: **I am Satan with updating but expect me updating this AT LEAST once a week and this will be finished! And whoops yes I just changed the narrative perspective. Hope you enjoy! Oh yeah I should also tell you now this is eventual ShinoxOC and a slow build fanfiction so bear with me please. Since these first few chapters will go by pretty fast since they are merely set up chapters.

* * *

Prelude

* * *

_One out of ten_, Rin looked out at the resentfully at the one kunai that had made it's mark at the bulls eye. She was the only one in the training area with everyone else scatter around the Academy courtyard for lunch socializing. Embarrassed as a boy with brown hair, red markings and a dog with a girl with long black hair started to come in my direction. She quickly took the kunai off and returned it Iruka –sensei, who let you borrow a kunai set during school hours to practice. Passing by the training area again her assumption was right as the boy and girl duo were practicing with the guy obviously trying to show off the darker haired girl. The girl obviously wasn't having it and didn't believe in the guys tough guy act but looked to appease him by listening patiently.

Feeling weird and out of place Rin continued on. Between everyone already in their respective subgroups, not wanting to bother her Brother and having already eaten her lunch she had nowhere else to go. Maybe she just wasn't cut out to be a ninja. She could feel her heart skip a beat as she thought about quitting. She carelessly watched the clouds roll across the sky silently laughing at the shapes they took on.

"Laughing to oneself is often a sign of mental instability," A voice came to her as a sort of shock. She stumbled shocked at the sudden mass in front of her. A boy with long dark brown hair and white eyes studied her for a second making her feel uncomfortable. She already knew who knew who he was: Neji Hyuuga. He was in the year above her and a proclaimed prodigy in his clan from what she had heard from her classmates.

With no words to explain herself, with its seemed to suffice she asked, "What?"

"You should allow yourself to go crazy just because you didn't get all your kunai on the bulls eye," He said simply looking her over. "If you want to be a ninja you have to learn to keep your emotions in check and your mind on what's in front of you. Now you can sit here looking pathetic and laughing to yourself or you can go throw kunai. Your choice."

He shrugged and walked off as if there was nothing to it. In that moment Rin Nara fell in love.

* * *

Little love did her, as she never talked to Neji again as for the rest of my days in the Academy. Well not really and not that she knew that yet. She would wave at him passing by on my way to the Academy but he didn't see her or would simply not acknowledge her. She sighed bitterly at the thought but instantly shook it off, _he had talked to me…. _

Determined to change her luck Rin sat on the polar opposite of where her Brother was, as most days she would hover around him and his friends in silence. But unfortunately her luck turned for the worst as the quietest and weirdest guy sat in the chair two seats across from her. Thus no one sat next to her even though the room filled up pretty fast. Rin gritted her teeth in anger but refused to go head hung back beside her Nii-san.

She willed herself to look his way, and with his long coat and messy hair it was pretty easy to remember the guy. Shino Aburame.

Rin grimaced for a moment before looking around again. Kiba Inuzuka was sitting pretty close but a black haired, tanned skinned girl named Kai took the chair beside him already and he was the aisle spot. He caught her looking at him and made a silly laughing trying to make her laugh. Rin frowned, it didn't work. He was probably too dumb to hold a conversation anyway. There was also a free spot around Naruto but she couldn't will herself to sit next to him either. Not that her parents forbad it, in fact her Papa didn't care at all if she did talk to him, but Rin didn't want to associate with him not because of what everyone else's parents said but because he was such a pain. Always making a scene, always so loud, it always made Rin scoff. Why draw attention to yourself when you weren't any good? The one thing Rin knew was while she wasn't the worst at throwing kunai, Naruto was and Rin was trying to elevate herself not sink down to Naruto's level.

With no other seats available and determination beating through her bloodstream like blood she picked up her stuff and plopped herself next to Shino. The air between them was tense and awkward at the sudden movement. The world around them continued around them without a blink of an air but Rin felt as though everyone was staring. Was everyone staring? She didn't dare to look.

An intense shiver climbed up and down her spine as she looked to see the desk in front of Shino was full of bugs! Now Rin was so stranger to outdoor critters often helping her Papa in forest work outside Konoha just bringing him his supplies but never had Rin seen bugs to this quantity at one place before.

Rin was almost tempted to get up and leave but determined glint shone in her eyes as Nee-san's words repeated in my head a thousand times over. _Don't you want to be your own person?_

She was going to show him! She'd be better than him; she'll show him, Mama and Papa! She'll make better grades, be a better ninja, and make better friends. Shino glanced over at the small, pale, round-faced girl to meet stone cold determination. He leaned back offset by the sudden set of the messy haired girl's full forced attention. After a second he uncomfortably shifted away from her and his glasses glinted from the sun, "Do you need anything? You are staring am me implying you…."

Rin momentarily reconsidered her actions; was Shino who she wanted to associate with? The thought made her want to sigh; there wasn't exactly a group of people lining up to be _her_ friend and beggars couldn't be choosers. She had tried to be friends with Ino when the Academy had started solely under the basis that our Fathers were but it didn't work out. She was way too brash and she told me I was too much of a know it all.

_I wasn't though_, Rin thought bitterly to herself. _Ino was just plain dumb._

Shino had stopped talking and Rin found it a bit unsettling that they were now just staring at each other. Maybe she shouldn't have been dozing off but she quickly shook the thought away. "No one likes you, right?"

He quickly looked away with what I bet was a red face and explained, "I have no need of…."

"Well it's settled then," Rin simply stated not giving him enough time to make a long, awkward explanation. She settled in her seat and tired to avoid the massive swarm of bugs in from of him (but to no avail as she shuttered again as her eyes passed them). He looked back at her again questionably. "Then I'll like you. We're friends now."

* * *

"You can't _tell_ people to be your friend. Just give up already, this is the third time I had to do this," Shikamaru said pulling another twig out of her hair. Rin hissed at the sudden tugging and glared at him menacingly. It didn't look like it but apparently Shino was pretty fast when it came to avoiding people; particularly Rin Nara.

After her little proclamation Shino decided that wasn't going to happen and for the next few days made it a point to try to sit away from her during class and avoid her during lunch and break. The rejection stung but she was adamant.

She was a proud Nara women, what would her Mama think if she knew the reason she had appeared at home with scratches and twigs in her hair? She would –_was_ – mad but Rin knew if her Mama only knew she would be proud. But Mama hadn't been really sympathetic this week as on arrival her Mama would yell in shock at the appearance of her daughter and demand she get cleaned and remove all objects from her body. Her Papa could really care less what she was doing just as long as she was safe, which she was beside the small scratches and twigs.

Rin would always try to catch Shino during break or lunch but he would escape in the forest near the Academy. Not being a novice to the works of a forest Rin was sure she'd be able to follow Shino pretty easily. She wouldn't allow herself too run but that was her demise as she had lost him every time even running into a random bush three whole times this week.

Her Mama would scream and her Papa would laugh saying it was harmless fun. Her Mama would then turn on him and he would be quiet and tell Rin too stop as well but she knew by the gleam in his eye he found her antics amusing. Shikamaru didn't, as their Mama would snap at him to help Rin get ready for diner.

"How else do you make friends?" She hissed as he yanked another twig from her hair.

"By being _normal_," Shikamaru sighed and whispered how troublesome she was.

Lunch the next day, Naruto was practically animated around Shino annoying him to no end.

_That's my job_, Rin wanted to kick Naruto on the shin and tell him to buzz off.

"Come on Shino," Naruto begged, his hands clasped in front of him. "It'll be fun! It's not like you're doing anything else…"

Rin suddenly smiled mischievously to herself. This was her time! She was suddenly between them giving Naruto her best hard glare. He suddenly stepped back stumbling on his feat screaming, "EHHH! Hey what was that for?"

"He does have something to do, excuse you!" Naruto and Shino gave her a questionable look as she grabbed the bug boy. Through his think jacket she could feel a slow movement like a thousand little things moving all at once beneath her fingers. "He's with me."

She kept her cool until they had gotten outside where she screamed and fainted outside the Academy.

Shino was there when she had awoken from the Nurse's office.

* * *

"You're not really good at this, are you? You're breathing heavy and you almost came dead last." Shino said a matter a factly looking down at the gasping mess below him. Rin was grasping her knees catching her breathe after the mile Iruka-sensei made them run because Naruto was late for the third time this week.

_One more time_, Iruka-sensei had warned. _And everyone gets punished._

We had made an effort to keep Naruto focused but he had been nowhere to be found this morning only for him to have toileted the Hokage's home. As everyone passed the door they made a conscious effort to glare at him, some even whispering empty death threats. Iruka had told her she was exempt but as everyone looked at her, she insisted she be punished with everyone else. By the time Rin was done running she was red with more than just embarrassment, though that was a big reason why. The only ones to have been slower that her was Shikamaru and Chouji though she didn't really take that as a good sign. Her brother had no drive or determination and she knew their parents – particularly their Mother - would have given him an earful if he didn't follow her around for this sort of this. And Chouji just followed Shikamaru around. The whole time Rin wanted to stop and kick them. Particularly Shikamaru, but then again she always wanted to kick her Nee-san.

"Not…particularly," Rin replied through a breath and grit in her teeth. Can't Shino see she didn't want to talk about it? She knew by now though that if she didn't expand Shino wouldn't pry so she let the conversation fall on itself. She didn't want to talk about her problems now. Or ever.

They made their way into the forest near the Academy as Rin watched the clouds and Shino picked out bugs. How Rin had managed to make it to her third year at the Academy her parents still raveled over but Rin knew she deserved it. Since bumping into Neji in her first year of the Academy she had aced every test, made every kunai, and controlled her chakra as one of the best in class. She could feel her cheeks burn a light red at the thought of Neji. The day passed on quickly and quietly like most days as Rin allowed her thoughts to wonder.

Rin wondered if it'd always be like this, passing her days with Shino in a sort of awkward but expected silence. Shino wasn't one to talk and Rin, well he was a _boy_. Why she never went out of her way to make more friends she didn't know but at least she didn't have to compete with Shino for Neji.

"We'll be broken up in teams," Shino cracked the silence. Her eyes continued to wonder the sky as her face crunched.

"Hmmm?" She asked.

"When we graduate I heard we get split up into teams," Shino explained not breaking away from his activity either. "Why I bring this up? We might be in the same team."

Rin smiled softly to herself, she hadn't even thought about graduation, she was way too focused on getting through the current year. She didn't say that she also wanted to be on Neji's team, but he was a year above her so that was out of the question. "Hopefully."

Rin didn't have to look at Shino to know his glasses glinted as he looked at her, "Yeah, hopefully."

They might not have talked much, but whenever they did Rin always felt better. _Maybe I don't need other friends anyway._

* * *

_I passed, I passed_, Rin wanted to run home scream in her parents' faces and laugh menacingly as they held each other in acknowledgement of her prowess. But she knew that would take too much strain on herself so she settled on trying to settle her heart now. Iruka –sensei had the sheet of their future teams in his hands getting ready to announce them.

"Team 9 members are Nara Rin," Rin crossed her fingers; she just wanted someone good. "Keijō Kai." Ok, Rin took that back. She wanted someone good and _not_ annoying. She didn't know much about Kai but she knew she was always with that Kiba guy and that was never a good sign. Kai looked back to meet Rin's gaze and spit her tongue out. Rin bit down a gasp, _she knew it_! This girl was absolutely no good!

Rin simply glared at the ugly, snotty girl and turned her face. The third person on her team couldn't be that bad. Well, not as bad as that Kai girl.

Sasuke and Shino had already been put in teams and some other good people in the class but there were still a few other people Rin could deal with so she crossed her fingers tighter.

"Anzen Tatsuo."

She could feel herself groan. She had spoken too soon.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**: Team

**Rating: **M overall but this chapter T for teens

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except for Team 9. That's it.

**A/N: **Hope you enjoy this chapter the next should come really fast! Don't forget to review and follow! Unless you don't want to…. You're choice. Choices are nice, like a buffet. I don't know what I'm talking about I should be studying. 

* * *

Prelude

* * *

Tatsuo was an idiot and Kai was a hoodlum but if Rin thought that was bad enough, her Sensei was crazy too. When she arrived at the spot she was told to at the designated, she was alone. It was day break and the place was a small clearing in the forest that was supposed to turned into a training ground for the Academy but never did. A few minutes later Tatsuo came stumbling into the clearing, nearly tripping on his own feet mumbling apologies. He looked around for a second only to see Rin glaring at him and gave a big smile. Rin wanted to get as far away from him as possible. His green eyes were droopy and still had eye wax in the corners. His brown hair was a complete mess, there was still morning drool on his chin and one of his canine teeth was missing. They were the same height so it was easy to scrutinize these things. If he didn't care what he looked like, why was he late?

Rin didn't knew for a fact though given no proof that if Naruto and her Brother weren't in the class Tatsuo would have gotten the lowest grade. His only saving grace would be that he was the son of the leader of a powerful clan. Rin wouldn't take that more much though, he was the _fifth_ son. He received all the benefits of being in the Anzen Clan but would inherit nothing. She would have smiled to herself if it weren't for the fact that he was on her team; _guess why he never tried_, _why would he? _

"You guys are early," Kai yawned, appearing from the trees with her hands behind her head.

"You're late," Rin glared at both of them. "You're both late."

Now Kai was a totally different story. Rin knew Kai tried hard but she always acted like she didn't; like doing good in the Academy was beneath her. Kai never spoke of it but everyone else did and Rin didn't lack ears. Kai's Father was a member of a small clan here in the village but when he had Kai it was out of wedlock with Kai's Mother when he was already engaged to someone else. Eventually after Kai's birth her Mother died on a mission and Kai went to live with her Father. What happened after that was none of Rin's business, not that she wanted to make it.

"Come on," Tatsuo whispered rubbing the back of his neck self-consciously. "I was only a few minutes after you, Rin-chan."

"Yet I came exactly on time," She turned her attention to the smaller girl whose black eyes were glaring at her as well. She was wearing a short, red mandarin dress with black pants and her hair was long and silky behind her falling to her hips. Rin wanted to scold her on Kai's unpractical attire. She herself was wearing a simple white tank top that had her clan's symbol on the back with grey pants and her hair only meeting just past her shoulders. Rin was just going to go off when a woman with long auburn hair and light brown eyes jumped out from the trees to greet them. "Seems like you all have meet each other already. I'm glad each of you could make it."

Rin wanted to roll her eyes; of course they'd make it! No way they would go through all those years of torture just to back out now! As much as she felt disdain for her teammates she knew they each deserved to be here. From her peripheral vision she saw Tatsuo sniff up a long piece of snot. Rin recoiled in disgust, she took that back. She had her hair in a bun and wore a Jonin uniform. "My name is Ishimoto Mizuko and for the next few hours or more I hold your lives in my hands. So why not introduce ourselves."

Tatsuo said his name quietly, a totally opposite of Kai's screeching of hers. Rin couldn't believe it, _how could they have all been so different?_ It was like the people who did this just put their names in a hat and chose randomly for each team. Rin's eyes widened as their Sensei explained that they'd need to complete one last test before becoming a full-fledged team. Rin couldn't believe it, "But, but – I've already passed all the tests…all the-"

"You can't make us do this," Kai jumped in, her fist balled. Both Kai and Rin nodded at each other, _at least they agreed on something_.

"Oh, yeah?" Mizuko-sensei raised an eyebrow. "What do you think, Tatsuo?"

Both Kai and Rin snapped their attention to Tatsuo. He seemed to get smaller and smaller as their eyes bore into him. He fidgeted uncomfortably with the calm stare of their Sensei and the angry attention of his new teammates that was now solely on him. "Ummm, I just want to become a ninja."

Rin wanted to slap her forehead; the guy was a babbling idiot! Didn't he see how unfair this was? Of course he did, he just didn't want to speak up. Mizuko-sensei paced in front of her newfound team with her hands crossed in front of her chest, "Well that settles it. You will be ninjas. Just ass this test first." Her eyes flashed to Rin and Kai. "I can and will make you do this. Since you've already passed all the tests this should be a breeze."

The last part Rin felt her Sensei bore holes into her soul.

* * *

Rin twitched at the sight, "That's it? Get the kunai from the tree?"

It was a pretty huge tree but still, chakra control was one of the first things you learned at the Academy. It was one of the harder lessons but nothing Rin thought that was too challenging, in fact all the needed to do was too make their chakra center around their feet and they could just walk up. Or they could just climb it.

"A breeze," Mizuko-Sensei reminded with a smile. Rin didn't trust that smile.

The tree was about 5 feet wide and 20 feet high and on the top ledged on the bark were three kunai. _One for each of us_, Rin nodded to herself. _Hopefully these two fail and I get my team replaced. Or maybe I do so good I get moved up to Neji's team. _

"You may start whenever you are ready," Mizuko-Sensei said and jumped back into the thick forest.

"Wait! Where are you going?" Rin called out to her. Without a reply Rin tsked, it didn't matter. She was going to get her kunai and be one Neji's team. Rin could hear Kai crack her knuckles, "I don't know about you guys but I'm going to get my kunai."

"I don't know you guys," Tatsuo shuffled on his feet. "This seems too easy maybe we should-"

But it was no use; Kai was already climbing up the tree. Rin scowled, he was right – it did seem too easy. She didn't want to be outdone by a hoodlum but she also didn't want to fail so Rin settled for watching Kai. Kai was almost to her kunai when she started laughing, "What? You guys too scared to come up? Mizuko-sensei was right – this was easy. AHHH!"

The next thing Rin knew a huge mass was coming toward her. She tried to scramble away but Kai's body still managed to knock her over and send them both spiraling toward the ground.

"Ow, well," Kai said, shaking herself. "That wasn't that bad."

"Maybe because you're sitting on top of me," Rin pushed Kai away angrily. Kai grunted and rubbed her sore butt. "What happened?"

Kai flinched, remembering the pain and held out her hand to show a small cut. "It came out when I was about to get my kunai."

"Figures," Rin sighed. Of course it couldn't be just a breeze. Turned out Tasuo wasn't a totally lost cause. Rin kicked the dirt and groaned loudly. "It's probably Mizuko-sensei throwing those so we can't get to our kunais'. Not fair!"

"Rin-chan, Kai-chan; what do you do now?" Tatsuo asked once they settled under the tree. Rin smiled to herself, she could do this easy. She got up and pulled a kunai out of her bag and turned to face the direction of where Mizuko-sensei left. In the trees she could see the basic outline of her body and threw to the kunai. She could she Mizuko-sensei jump out of the way and into the floor. That moment Rin made the necessary hand movements, bent her knees and called, "_Kagemane no Jutsu." _

Rin's shadow extended and caught Mizuko-sensei's before she could move out of the way. Rin could hear her new teammates gasp– now ex teammates knowing she'd now be lucky to be placed in a better team. Tatsuo cheered, "You got her, Rin-chan! You're awesome!"

Rin smiled at Kai's scoff, "She just got lucky."

Rin paid no mind to Kai; she was just jealous. Now all she needed to do was slowly climb up the tree and grab the kunai. She made her way to the tree, it was a small distance but Rin was already breaking into a sweat. She quickly wiped her forehead, not wanting anyone to see but to no avail since Mizuko-sensei was doing everything she was.

Kai and Tatsuo took it upon herself to also climb the tree as Rin took care of Mizuko-sensei.

_Traitors! I'm doing all the dirty work. Damn_, Rin thought to herself, making sure she didn't make eye contact with either Tatsuo or Kai. _Shadow possession is harder to maintain than I thought._

Especially when she was trying to climb and do the jutsu. She barely made it up the tree when her jutsu broke. In shock Rin lost her balance and feel off the tree, landing on her back. Before she could compose herself Mizuko-sensei jumped back, pulling out two kunai and throwing them at Tatsuo and Kai. Rin screamed at Kai landed on her once again.

From the corner of her eye Rin could see a barrage of kunais' coming their way and without thinking Kai quickly held tight and rolled them out of the way. Kai quickly got up and called for Tatsuo the same time a frantic voice yelled, "Bujikabe no jutsu!"

Rin looked up to see a light blue light surrounding Tatsuo. Rin wanted to hit herself over the head, how could she have forgotten! The Anzen clan specialized in Chakra Control and in defensive fighting. With their chakra they could make a chakra wall surrounding them to protect them from incoming attacks. Rin had only ever heard of it and never seen it personally so it was a totally new experience for her. Something clicked in her head, "Tatsuo, can you make that jutsu bigger?"

"Uh y-yeah!" He said as a single sweat rolled down his temple. Rin quickly got in it and as Mizuko-sensei got out more kunai Rin's shadow weaved through the forest to catch her. Mazuko-sensei sent a kunai flying towards her but with Tatsuo's jutsu it didn't reach and froze as Rin's shadow possession captured her from the back.

"Kai, while me and Tatsuo have her get the kunai!" Rin shouted out commands. Kai yelled in acknowledgement or determination Rin didn't know but all she could do now was hope Kai got all three.

* * *

"We passed, we passed!" Rin shouted gleefully running into the room she shared with her brother. "Our Sensei said we were the fastest team to get it- oh. Nee-san?"

The room was empty and she was alone. Her brother must have still been with his team. Oh course; he was already friends' with his teammates. Why would he want to share his success with her when the people he shared it with were already in front of him?

After it all Kai did all three kunai leaving the three genin tired but happy. Releasing Mizuko-sensei she jumped down and congratulated them, telling them that their real training started tomorrow. That only meant one thing – they all had passed. Mizuko-sensei had laughed and told them they were the fastest team to get the kunai particularly because the others died trying thus never completed it. The three genin gasped and stared at their Sensei. She had laughed again and told them she was kidding but Rin had an irking feeling that part of her wasn't.

Mizuko-sensei had left telling them when and where to meet and they left it at that. They all stared at each other as if the silence between them was a conversation in of itself and went their own ways. The first person Rin thought about telling was her Nii-san and quickly went home to share. The need to share was too great as Rin got her stuff and made her way to Shino's house.

* * *

He wasn't home either. She sat on his front porch quietly swinging her legs. His Father invited her to wait inside but she politely declined, she wanted to see him first thing when he got back. Rin waited half an hour before the familiar bushy hair brunette appeared. She shook her head before she realized it was just his Father coming to offer her tea.

"Thank you," Rin sighed to herself. "But it's fine but I should be heading home anyway. Bye!"

Before he could reply Rin made a run for it. She thought to herself, _There's always tomorrow. _

Her eyes widened as she arrived at her house. Maybe she didn't have to wait for tomorrow as she saw Shino waiting at her front porch.


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: **Plans

**Rating: **M overall but this chapter T for teens

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Naruto do you really think this would be on fanfiction? I own nothing except Team 9.

* * *

_Prelude_

* * *

If it had been anyone else Rin would have demanded they turn away immediately. She was a teary mess, sniffing up her resentment and focusing on _not crying_.

"What happened?" Shikamaru asked, worry more prevalent than the discontent in his voice; though Rin knew that was there too, though at who she didn't know. She could pick up on the subtle hints in his voice like she can pick out the moles on her body. He was probably annoyed at her - she also knew she was a total mess; she was dirty, scratched and angry. _This was all Kai's fault!_ "How troublesome, I thought we agreed you wouldn't-"

"I didn't plan this for this too happen," Rin snapped stubbornly. It wasn't fair; in fact, it wasn't even right how Kai made Rin so angry! They were supposed to be a Team but a month into it they were already at each other's throats.

Rin now wished she hadn't gone to Shikamaru first. But she didn't know if she'd rather have this or have her parent's home to find her like that.

Shikamaru sighed and looked her over. "Just get in the shower and get rid of as much dirt as you can. You know how Mom gets on that, and then get me a brush."

Having nothing to do she obliged and followed his orders. Half an hour later sitting crisscrossed in front of him, he practically was yanking her hair – nothing like the soft constant brushes of her Mother. But Rin knew it was this or the yelling of her Mother on what could have possibly happened and her possibly even going as far as pulling her out of being a ninja. Rin didn't know it that was even possible but she knew how determined her Mother got, and her Mother usually got what she wanted.

"Now just tell me what happened that you got yourself into this drag," Shikamaru said calmly obviously unaware he was ripping her scale apart. The one hand tightly locked on her shoulder and the other committing murder on her head, Rin was trapped. Not that she would have left either way, and she needed to tell _someone. _Since, there was no one in the world who understood pain like her Brother.

* * *

A few months had passed and nothing had changed. Kai was still a hoodlum, Tatsuo was an idiot, and Mizuko–sensei was still crazy. With only the occasional D-ranked mission that required them to do stupid stuff like babysitting or dog walking, that left them a lot of time for them to train together as a team. The more they did that though, the more they had realized it had to have been a mistake to put them together.

Rocking a baby back and forth, Rin glared at her two teammates who were goggling at the other crying baby in astonishment. Sneering at them Rin barked, "Don't you know how to hold a kid?"

Kai and Tatsuo looked at each other unknowingly and shrugged. As their baby continued to cry, Rin simply looked away – they could figure it out themselves. She was doing fine in her end anyway. Unfortunately for her a minute later their Mother came back and was yelled at them.

Mission upon mission Rin had to do the bulk of the work, at least from her perspective. She was the one who had to take the lead and do all the hard tasks. But if she thought missions weren't bad enough training was worse. Every day was worse than the last as Mizuko –sensei forced them to run laps and spend hours concentrating on chakra control. Rin wasn't going to lie, her running times sucked and Mizuko – sensei wouldn't allow them to move forward in their training session until everyone was at the finishing point of the run. Even after weeks of training, Rin still couldn't look them in the eye when she finished the laps.

* * *

One of the more tedious jobs Team 9 had to endure (the one that got Rin into this nasty situation with her hair being yanked out) wasn't that tedious to begin with. They had been walking a set of dogs (Likely for her she had gotten the smallest dog which was a terrier and Kai had gotten the biggest one which was a Shar Pei). Tatsuo smiled between us holding the leash of a small bulldog, "After this we can all go out and eat some itamemono with the money we got!"

No way Rin wanted to spend her money buying food; instead she wanted to go to the hot springs but the way Kai and Tatsuo were nodding vigorously she knew she would be outnumbered in votes. She didn't even like itamemono foods. Any itamemono foods. Couldn't they at least have something nice or even something simple like ramen? Wait, she took that back. If they went out to get ramen they would take a chance in meeting with Team 7. "Rin-chan, Rin-chan!"

Rin jumped a little, started at the sudden noise. Kai and Tatsuo were looking at her weirdly as she just adjusted herself, "Yes?"

Kai laughed, "First time in your life you don't know what's going on? Weird, huh? What, does Shikamaru control the ears out of the both of you?"

"Shut up," Rin snapped, glaring at the shorter girl. Her Brother was annoying but she wouldn't tolerate anyone talking about him. Other than her of course.

"We were asking what were you planning on getting at the restaurant?" Tatsuo smiled, tsking at Kai's teasing. A weird sense of disconnection triggered something in her. Rin wanted to slap them both silly and run off. Everyone else was getting along with their teams; was it her making all the trouble? That thought made her want to gag; she would be lowering herself to Naruto's level! She didn't talk to Team 7 that much, but even she knew all the nonsense Naruto got them into. 

"I'm not that hungry," Rin replied but just then her stomach decided to betray her and let out the biggest growl Rin had ever heard. Deciding to ignore it Rin turned away from them, "Go on without me."

"Come on," Tatsuo pouted. "We're supposed to be a team."

_Team not friends_, Rin wanted to point out but a mischievous look by Kai made Rin stop. She was planning something and Rin wanted no part of it. "No."

Kai looked over surprised, "What? I didn't even say anything-"

"But I already know what you're planning to do isn't good," Rin said sensibly. "Or fun, or even legal!"

"This is going to be good, I promise," Kai pouted. She jumped between the soles of her feet and continued to smile. "Can I just tell you? Come on if we don't do it soon we'll miss our chance!"

"No," Rin barked, unshakeable in her resolve. She was determined not to have her day ruined by another of Kai's dumb plans. The last time Kai had one was when they had a mission to find a cat. It would have been an easy one if they had went with Rin's original plan where they trapped the cat inside Tatsuo's jutsu and Rin caught it's shadow so Kai could grab it easily but _no_, Kai had her own idea. Using some sort of dark magic Kai convinced Rin to go with her plan – which was to corner the cat with Tatsuo so Kai can jump on top of it and catch it.

_So we don't have to waste any chakra_, Kai said convincingly. Rin and Tatsuo got to the cornering point when a dark shadow appeared above them. The shadow seemed really close though… Rin looked up nervously to see Kai had miscalculated her fall and feel on top of Rin. Rin screamed in exasperation, pushing Kai's body off of hers. The cat screeched in shock and jumped and attacked Tatsuo by his terrified screams.

Rin shuttered at the thought. No, never again would she let that happen! Kai suddenly stopped, "Come on! Look it's Team 8!"

Rin turned to see it was true; she was so lost in her thoughts she hadn't even noticed. A few meters to the side of them was Team 8 consisting of Kiba, Hinata and Shino. Kai started laughing, "If we release these dogs now, they'll obviously be attracted to Kiba and they'll run toward him! Imagine their surprise when a bunch of dogs come running their way!"

Tatsuo and Kai started arguing; something about that being immoral by Tatsuo and fun by Kai but everything was silent for Rin. Just a few feet behind them was Neji's team. She didn't know either of his teammates nor their Sensei but that didn't matter to Rin. _Neji was right behind her._

"What do you say Rin, my idea or Tatsuo's?"

"Ummm, yeah. Do whatever you want," Rin said without thinking. It was obvious Neji's team was in the process of training, as they ran across the road with their Sensei shouting words of encouragement. Rin flinched at the sudden loudness, and she thought Mizuko-sensei was bad. Neji's running style was so elegant, so fluid – it was almost like he was…. _Click, click_.

Rin's amr suddenly felt so much lighter. Her eyes widened as she looked to her left, her dog was gone – and heading straight toward Neji's team!

"Wait, you're supposed to go towards Kiba!" Kai yelled after the dogs she just release from their leashes. Kai had released them all and attracted by the two running green jumpsuits, they had no interest in the dog master. The commotion made Team 8 look over in astonishment and made Neji's team stop training completely. How could this get any worse? An even more important question, how could she have let this happen?

"Letting your dogs loose and running around with them," Tears sprung to mans eyes. He had a bad bowl cut and a worse jumpsuit. Rin twitched away from the crazy man, was he really Neji's sensei? "How powerful your youth is! Lee, you must learn from them!"

A young buy who looked like a carbon copy of the man sprung tears as well and took out a small notebook and started righting down notes, "Y-yes, Gai-sensei! You are right!"

"Come on team," Gai –sensei yelled to Neji and the others. "Let us run after these dogs as well!"

"No," Team 9 yelled all at once as Gai and Lee started chasing after the dogs in glee. Neji and a girl with two identical buns stood together in silence, looking at their over energetic teammate and sensei. Neji looked over coldly at Team 9, as if they were dirt beneath his feet. Rin wanted to stand beside him and glare at her two teammates as well.

_It was them, not me_, She wanted to tell him. _I'm the smart one. _

"You let them loose?" Neji asked coolly.

The brown haired girl sighed, "They'll be at it all day now."

"We- we thought," Kai tried to explain.

"We don't have time for this," Neji turned and looked over to the girl to follow him. "If you want to make it as a ninja I recommend you stop playing and start taking this stuff seriously."

Neji and the girl jumped off before Rin could agree and win Neji's love. Rin glared and Kai, "What were you thinking?"

"Me?" Kai screamed in schok. "You agreed!"

Rin couldn't argue with that. Team 8 raced over looking at the now lonely leashes. Kiba started laughing at their expense, "Geez, what happened to you guys? Good thing I'm here."

_We must look pitiful_, Rin though soberly. She shook her head viciously, "Go away dog breathe, this isn't about you!"

"It is obvious you are in need of assistance," Shino said calmly. "With the dogs of their leash and two people running after them, you have almost no chance of getting to them."

His tone was so matter a factly that Rin couldn't get mad at him. She still felt it but logic won. Rin whispered to him defeated, "We can do it."

"We'll help," Shino said and that was the end of it.

"But she called me-" Kiba tried to intervene. Kai giggled trying to defuse the situation, "You do kind of smell like a dog."

Kiba huffed annoyingly but he let it go. All six shinobi tried their hardest to curb both the dogs and Gai and Lee's enthusiasm. By the time they had caught all dogs the sky was a light pink color. Lee and Gai waved off thanking them for a good workout and left leaving both Team 8 and 9 breathless. Tatsuo gasped for air as his stomach growled viciously, "Who are those two anyway."

"A bunch of wackjobs that's for sure," Kai said making both her and Kiba to break into a smile. Upon the return of the dogs, both teams were tired and dirty. Deciding to all go to a restaurant together Rin took it upon herself to sit next to Shino. He didn't have to say he wasn't really comfortable with his teammates; she could read it all in his demeanor (something that took years to break through).

Looking down, Rin started sweating nervously. She could see a bunch of bugs crawling up Shino's arm and when their hands accidentally brushed she could feel them crawling underneath his skin. Even after all this time it was something she still wasn't used too.

Screaming, both teams watched as they saw Rin run out of the restaurant top speed running into a chair and out the door. Kai turned back to the others, "So, who wants to order first?"

* * *

Rin's hair was now soft and glimmering behind her; something it rarely was now a days. "Maybe if you weren't such a drag, you wouldn't be in this situation."

Rin rolled her eyes, she had heard this advice a million times over. "Maybe. But that's always such a pain."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 4: **Understanding

**Rating: **M overall but this chapter T for teens

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Naruto do you really think this would be on fanfiction? I own nothing except Team 9.

**A/N:** Yes I know this chapter goes by really fast and starting now most prelude chapters probably will I just really need to get to a certain part of the story.

* * *

Prelude

* * *

"There hasn't ever been a group of people where at least one person hasn't gave," were Mizuko-sensei's words of wisdom today. She made sure she one everyday; sometimes she repeated some though but today's was a new one thankfully.

Weeks passed and their techniques almost perfected – though their attitude to each other didn't. They did what they were expected of each other because Mizuko–sensei would give them extra training sessions when they didn't but there was no feelings behind it until they had finally just simply lived with each other. In theory they should have been the perfect team, all perfectly aligning together – Tatsuo protected, Rin trapped, and Kai attacked. So perfect, but so flawed.

Mizuko-sensei frowned at them during one training session. "Your technique is becoming flawless. You just need to work on your teamwork. Don't you think you'll find it easier to work together if you at least liked each other?"

Rin didn't know what Mizuko-sensei wanted from them. Once they were chuunin they'd hardly ever see each other. Plus, how can you ever like someone you feel nothing for?

* * *

Thankfully for the exam portion of the Chuunin Exam Tatsuo and Kai had managed to sit in front of Rin, giving her easy access to use her Shadow Possession Jutsu to answer their questions as well as hers. She just hoped they all had the same ones.

All the questions were relatively easy for her to answer. As a kid she loved analyzing strategies, seeming through plots, answering questions, memorizing training methods and ninja practices. Everyday she would run home to tell her Mama and Papa about her day, what she had learned and quickly ran to her room to do her homework before diner so she could talk about it to them some more. Practice and application, practice and application. That was her whole Academt experience. Looking back on it now she could see the underlining sadness in those smiles her parents had when she came back home. Smiles reserved for her.

Not that that mattered anymore – she was a ninja now.

Making it past the test they were determined to be the first ones in the second challenge. They were supposed to be a great team after all, and besides they had their techniques perfected.

They were the third team to make it to the checkpoint.

* * *

With them included only nine teams managed to make it past the forest. In the group Rin could feel Kai preparing herself behind her and see Tatsuo tremble and hand sweat in front of her. _Fight. _

That was all they needed to do; that was all they've been doing since day one. Rin looked at the competition, surprisingly all their gradating genin made it and not so surprisingly Neji's team made it as well. With all them there was also two teams from the Sand and two from the Sound village.

It wasn't a shock when Tatsuo lost but it was when Kai won and an even bigger one when Rin lost.

All her training done for nothing. _Nothing._

* * *

Hours of careful medical procedures followed Rin's defeat as the cold bitter aftertaste of it sent her rocketing in and out of consciousness. She had been so close… _so close_…

Rin had been paired with a Sound Ninja named Kouta or Kojo - it didn't matter now. Not to her anyway. His team had arrived at the checkpoint second to last and that meant nothing and everything to her.

Her shadow possession always went and held longer than her Brothers so catching the guy was easy enough for her. Getting a hidden kunai from her thigh (knowing not many ninja hid it there) and raised it to throw. She had grown too proud, too cocky, she forgot the first rule any good ninja memorized: Never underestimate your opponent until he was dead.

The kunai almost struck his head before he opened his mouth and screamed. Transferring all his chakra to his mouth, the sound waves were amplified tenfold. Her along with the kunai were sent back with the force of his attack. The sound surprised her so much her ninjutsu drawed back. The last thing she remembered was thinking she could ward him off.

* * *

Her family visited first. Her brother managed to go to the next go to the next round, while she lay softly congratulating him – the way her parents congratulated her. The very thought of him winning almost made her cry, even though she was happy. While Rin was jealous and angry and miserable and sick, she was also proud. So proud that if she didn't make it at least her brother did. Her brother did. Her slacker of a brother who only joined the Academy to avoid doing chores for Mother. She almost choked on her laughter. They say karma is a bitch, but irony was sure no pushover.

* * *

Shino came next.

"I know what you're thinking so you don't need to glare kunai at the window," Rin said turning away from him.

"I wasn't glaring," Shino commented casually.

"I was going to say sulking but I knew you would say something on that so I didn't so don't complain," Rin crunched her nose up but slowly smiling to herself.

"I wasn't sulking either."

"Shino, everyone knows when you sulk," Rin pointed out to him smiling wider. "So I would know especially since I'm you're…"

Rin's smile faltered. An awkward tingle went through her spine. Friend? He was her best friend but did he consider her his? He always went on how he never really got along with people and he never _told _her that she was the exception. For all she knew he just put up with her, she had been wrong about a lot of stuff lately anyway. Since who would want to continue being friends with a loser, anyway? The sudden silence made the room run cold and her uncertainty made it awkward. She whispered more to the pillow to him, "Since you're _my_ friend. But, I lost."

"It was probably just…" He seemed to look for the right phrase. Never in her life had Rin heard Shino use the word_ probably_. "A misplace of faith."

A misplace of faith. What was that suppose to mean? She didn't have time to contemplate as she asked him, "Who else made it?"

Did Neji make it?

* * *

Her happiness that he did slowly deflated as her team came in to wish her get well soon wishes.

Tatsuo smiled giving her a bouquet of flowers, "Don't worry Rin-chan, you'll get out in no time."

"You think you know it all, but you don't," Kai yelled throwing her hands in the air in frustration. "You're just as lost and confused as the rest of but you're just too proud too admit it. You think you know but you don't – and that's the damn problem, you never know how to ask! You're dragging our team down and I don't know if you realized it or not Rin, but you_ lost_."

Kai might has well slapped her in the face. Tatsuo looked meekly between the two angry girls, "Look Kai, I really think you should-"

Kai glared at him, "What, stop? You know it's true! I know you don't like her either."

"Like?" Rin suddenly scoffed. "Don't talk to me about _liking_ someone. At least if Tatsuo doesn't like me, it's _me_ he doesn't like."

"What?" Kai whispered warningly but even incapacitated, Rin wouldn't back down.

"Come on," Rin said exasperatedly. "We all know that cool, tough girl personality you have going on is all just an act. You're just a sad lonely girl, who wants everyone to like her because of her Mother and Father issues."

Tatsuo grabbed Kai as she lunged. Kai glared at her, "Just because you're mad doesn't mean you can bring people down with you."

* * *

The last of her visitors was Mizuko-sensei with a word of advice.

"Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid."

"I don't know how that applies to my broken leg," Rin said indifferently.

"Everyone's good at different things, Rin." Mizuko-sensei said patiently. "You're a smart girl Rin, you'll figure it out."

"Obviously not smart enough."

* * *

"It seems you're all healthy," Her cousin Shouta smiled, logging in something on her charts.

"Then you would take these IV's off me," Rin whispered annoyed. Shouta was the Nara Clan's personal medic and head researcher for their medical organization.

His smile faltered looking her over, "Maybe tonight."

"Than I'm not all healthy," Rin pointed out irritated.

"No," Shouta said simply checking over her again. "But you never can be too sure. Interesting friend you had back there. How is he, by the way?"

"Which one?"

"The only one you wanted."

Rin snorted, "I have other friends."

Shouta looked at her skeptically. Rin huffed, "What, I did! I just… haven't kept up with them since I became a ninja and they… haven't. Things just…changed I guess. Shino was a ninja, I was. He understands. But he's been doing fine, I guess. He made it through."

"Hmm?" Shouta asked, moving around looking more at her vitals softly laughing to himself.

"What?" Rin snapped at him.

"Nothing," Shouta shook his head. "I just never seen that look on your face other than you talking about your Brother. Usually that pride is only reserved for him and yourself."

"Shut up."

* * *

After a week being out of the hospital is when they got it. It seemed simple enough – it was their first C ranked mission but it wasn't too hard. A busy restaurant had just ran out of meat and their providers wouldn't stock until next week so all Team 8 had to do was hunt a wild boar. Since the next part of the Chuunin exams were next month Kai complained she had to get seriously training.

"This is a C ranked mission," Mizuko-sensei explained. "It'll help with training."

Outranked Kai submitted.

Out in the forest Kai groaned, "It's a stupid boar! Where could it possibly hide!?"

"There are people who die out in the woods because they can't find food," Tatsuo pointed out, nodding to himself. "So they must be pretty good at hiding."

"This way," Rin pointed out all of a sudden. She was in front of the group, looking for tracks.

"When did you become an animal expert," Kai asked, looping her hands around head.

"My family has a forest," Rin said a matter a factly. "So my Father takes me around it."

"Fancy," Kai whistled looking around. "So take us to the boar, oh dirt whisperer."

Rolling her eyes, Rin did it anyway. Wondering not for the first time, what she had done to deserve this. Taking them to a cave Rin pointed at it, "The track led me here."

"So…" Kai said looking around. "Where is it?"

"Guys," Tatsuo whispered behind them.

"Not now Tatsuo," Rin said scrunching her nose up. The bore should be around here somewhere. She couldn't have been wrong again… Not Again. "Maybe if we go in the cave…."

"Yeah, ok," Kai shrugged. "The sooner we get this done, the better."

"Guys," Tatsuo repeated, his voice quivering.

"Tatsuo seriously," Kai said. "We're trying to find the-"

Turning around to face him Kai's voice hitched in her throat. "Um, Rin.."

"What?" Turning around Rin gasped. At least she wasn't wrong.

The boar was huge. Its dark grey hair bristled as it lifted its tusks to point them at the group. Moving its hind legs and bending it's front, the boar prepared to charge. Rin sweated, _At least if she died she could say she found it._


End file.
